Does Passion Create Joy or Suffering? Yes It Does!

“Passion makes the old medicine new: Passion lops off the bough of weariness. Passion is the elixir that renews: How can there be weariness when passion is present? Oh, don’t sigh heavily from fatigue: seek passion, seek passion, seek passion!” - Rumi

How many times have you heard an elevator speech that started “I’m passionate about helping…?”

Or been told “do what you are passionate about and the money will follow?”

Because we know it is true – when we are connected to our passion we are fired up, busting through every barrier, feet barely touching the ground.

When we are fulfilling our passion we believe in ourselves, we feel limitless and optimistic about what we can make of our future.

A person who is living an example of their core passion attracts other people. Their energy attracts other energy (we call this multiplier affect “synergy”.) That is why when I coach clients on creating connections we start with tapping into this energy source.

Because we cannot tap into that wellspring of energy unless we have access to its source.

Often the question I hear people asking themselves and each other is actually “what are you passionate about DOING?”

The word “passion” is derived from the Latin “pati” meaning “to suffer.” (Ironically, that is also the source of the word “patient” an adjective that, for me, IS the equivalent of suffering.) Which is why, if you read old classic romances you see phrases like “he suffered from a deep and enduring passion.”

So is suffering required? I thought passion was “the elixir that renews.” Well if you are willing to let your passion simmer on a back burner while you do nothing, you will, indeed, suffer.

So is action the answer then? Just do it? But what if you take action and fail? Isn’t that just another kind of suffering?

How do you achieve that powerful “nothing can stop me now” kind of feeling that we associate with doing what you are passionate about doing and being rewarded for doing it?

Understand your passion is not for a thing, it isn’t for an activity, it is for an OUTCOME. Your passion lifts you far above the ground when you achieve an outcome that brings you joy. You may have to do things you don’t even enjoy, let alone feel passionate about. You may have to take some risks, and even get back up after a few falls.

The joy of living your passion comes from seeing the result of putting action to your emotion.

Guess what? Results are what we get paid for as well. Sure enough, when you FULFILL your passion the money does follow.

Please, seek passion. Match your action to your emotion. Let your energy attract people who want to work with you. Achieve outcomes that add value to the lives of others. You won’t need to seek money, you will only need to accept it when it finds you.

3 Comments

Dixie, solid post. Soooo many people say the broad advice of "do what you're passionate about and the money will follow" (myself included); you went against the status quo and provided some quantifiable, measurable guidance for those who want to monetize their passions.

Life is so much more filling and rewarding when you are able to align your passions with what you do on a daily basis. I think you hit the nail on the head when you emphasize results and outcomes over activity.

Doing passionate activities can lead to nowhere – sort of like the quote "don't confuse activity for accomplishment."

If we produce results from what we are passionate about, I think we will be on the fast track to the adding value to others and feeling self-fulfillment and happiness.

John, thank you for this validation and perspective. We have all been told "do what you are passionate about and the money will follow" and it saddens me to see the frustrated people who are either still searching for their passion or who are doing something they say they are passionate about while going broke. But if they would only define what purpose they accomplish that lights them up AND creates value for others they will live more fulfilled lives and have more financial reward as well.